Edo: Obaseki Down Again, Oshiomhole Plots His Final Fall

By Fola James

Embattled Governor Godwin Obaseki of Ed has failed again in his quest to cage the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC Adams Oshiomhole.

A federal high court in Abuja, on Monday stopped the state government from prosecuting the APC boss and former helmsman of the state for corruption.

A Justice J.U Oyomire panel of inquiry set up by the state government last year had indicted the former governor and recommended his arrest for prosecution.

The two former allies fell out over who control the soul of the state and the APC chairman has vowed to stop the governor from being reelected.

Last week, a faction of the party led by the APC chairman elected Pastor Ize-Iyamu, a former PDP governorship candidate as APC candidate in the election coming up later in September.

The governor has kicked insisting that nobody can stop him from being re-elected governor.

But Justice Oyomire, while ruling on a matter brought by the APC strongman challenging his indictment by the state, has stopped the state government from prosecuting Oshiomhole. a development, close watchers of the state’s politics say is a set-back for the governor in his quest to rubbish his predecessor.

On the other, the magazine learnt that the camp of the APC chairman has been engulfed with jubilation, plotting the next move to finally deal a decisive blow against the governor.

Ruling on the matter the judge granted ”An interim order is hereby made restraining the prosecution of the applicant pursuant to the report submitted to the 1st to 3rd respondents or any white paper, pending the determination of the issue of jurisdiction raised in the 1st to 4th respondents’ notice of preliminary objection.”

Justice Oyomire had in a white paper indicted Oshiomhole and recommended that criminal proceedings be commenced against him.

But Oshiomhole, in an Ex parte motion, through his counsel, Ehiogie West- Idahosa, asked the court to stop his arrest and prosecution on account of the report.

Apart from the governor other respondents in the suit are the Attorney- General and Commissioner of Justice for Edo, Justice J.U Oyomire, Inspector-General of Police, IGP and the Department of State Services, DSS.

The matter has now been adjourned until June 17 for substantive hearing .